I was reading a blog about bad or unethical therapists, and there were over 700 replies! Some of the stories told were truly horrifying. While most therapists are probably good people who genuinely want to help, there are a good number of narcissists who go into the profession because being a “guru” feeds their egos. Here’s a somewhat humorous example of an exchange where the narcissistic therapist continually gaslights his patient.
Psy: “I can’t talk to you if you’re aggressive or angry. ”
Me: “But I’m not acting that way, what behaviors do you deem agressive or angry?”
Psy: “Just the agressive ones like you arguing is being aggressive.”
Me: “Well, I’m not arguing”
Psy: “Just letting you know I’m not going to argue with you” (silence for the remainder of my session)
OR the time he actually just outright told me to shut up (you know, the “talk therapy” where the counselor tells you to shut up)
OR another conversation:
Me: “Dr. (blank) I really need to tell you something, could you please listen”…
Psy: “go ahead, I’m listening”
Me: “the other day…(him interrupting me)
Psy: “just letting you know I’m listening”
Me: “well, as I was saying, the other day”… (2 seconds later-him interrupting)
psy: “yes, I’m listening”
Me: “well, the other day” (2 seconds later-him interrupting)
psy: “go ahead”
Me: (silence)
Psy: “go ahead”
Me: (silence)
then my next session a week later he states: “you really need to open up more”
YES, I did report Dr. Douchebag to the ethics board.
The patient went onto say he hoped his therapist would get eaten by a lion. I don’t blame him–that therapist’s behavior is incredibly crazymaking.
Lucky Otters Haven 
And these clowns charge big bucks for that kind of crap!
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They sure do, and some of them charge a LOT more than I’m paying.
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Hm…perhaps that is why I have gotten more from blogging than therapy?!
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Could be! Finding a good therapist can be tricky. Seems there are lots of bad ones. Blogging is less risky that way.
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The worse think they can do is give you their opinion in regards to NarCissistic Personality Disorder abuse when they don’t believe the categories that define personality disorders.
They need to listen and refrain from giving advise when their Psychology believes contradict the guidelines of treating victims of NPD. They can do more damage then good.
And if they take bad notes during a session they forget and contradict themselves. So the result of that is unintended accidental gaslighting.
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LuckyOtter, I would love to read the blog you mentioned. Would it be possible to share a link to it, if you’re comfortable doing so? I’ve had my share of run-ins with unethical therapists, and it helps me so much to read about others’ experiences. In fact, I found your blog by Googling “bad therapy”…
Thanks!
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Are you referring to the blog in the article? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/warning-signs-of-bad-therapy/
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Thank you! Yep, that’s the link I was hoping for.
Wow, the comments on that blog post are intense. Some of the stories there just make me so sad and angry for the clients who suffered under the “care” of those truly horrible therapists. It’s such a mind-screw the way the client is so often blamed for the therapist’s incompetence.
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Some of them were retraumatized and yes the stories are pretty horrifying. Some are hard to believe.
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